Counterbalance for doors of dump-wagons.



H. D. JOHNSON, JR.

COUNTERBALANOE FOR DOORS OF DUMP WAGONS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. a, 1913 Witnesses W Q, w.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co..wAsHINGTON, n. c.

UNITE STAT$ Pgldf @FFlQE.

HARRY D. JOHNSON, JB., OF SOUTH BENDQINDIANA.

COUNTERBALANCE FOR DOORS OF DUMP-WAGONS.

To (fill 17mmitmay concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY D. J orrnsox, J12. citizen of the ljnited States, residing at South Bend, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Counterbalances for Doors of Dump- Wagons, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improve-- ments in dump-wagons. in which a body is provided with laterally swinging bottom doors adapted to meet at substantially the longitudinal center of the body.

In this wagon the intermediate portions of the door operating chain or cable extend along the under side of said doors and adjacent their meeting edges, the free ends being attached to a suitable winding-drum, and its loop adapted to engage a counterbalancing device secured upon the rear end of the \VHg'OlklJOtlff, so that, when the drum is rotated in one direction the cable operates to close the doors.

To prevent leakage between the edges of the doors when closed, it is desirous to provide an overlapping cover plate upon the edge of one of the doors, and it then becomes necessary to close one door slightly ahead of the other to prevent interference with each other.

The particular object, therefore, is to provide a simple, practical and efficient mechanism which will not only compensate for any limited inequality in the length of the operating chain so as to cause both doors to close positively and nearly simultaneously, but also to utilize the same mechanism for causing one door to close slightly in advance of the other, thereby assuring the lapping of the cover plate upon the edge of the opposite door.

Another important object is to provide means to prevent the doors from swinging outwardly against the wheels when dumping and this is accomplished by forming the supporting bracket of the rotary equalizer in a manner to act as a stop for the equalizer and limit its throw in two directions.

These and other objects hereinafter set forth and claimed, are attained by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a view showing the rear end Specification of Letters Z'E'atent.

Application filed March 3, 1913.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

Serial No. 751,965.

izer secured thereto, showing the doors in an open position; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the equalizing device, the rear end of the wagon-body being shown in section; and Fig. 3 is a front view of the equalizer showing the bracket in section.

Similar reference numerals designate like parts in all of the figures of the drawing.

The wagon-body lis provided with suitably hinged doors 5 and 6, hinged along the lower edges of its sides, and whose free edges are adapted to meet along the longitudinal center of said body, and suitably journaled at the front end of said body 4:, is the usual winding drum 7, a part being shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, said drum being adapted to be operated with the usual operating handle 8. The construction above described is common to this class of clumpwagons.

0n the rear end of the wagon-body is positioned my improved counter-balance, which comprises a bracket having a pivot pin 9 supported therein, and upon said pin is mounted a pulley 10. The roller is pivoted centrally and has projecting from its periphery the lugs 11, between which is adapted to be secured a link in the intermediate portion of a chain 12, the free ends of said chain being adapted to pass under the free edges of the doors 5 and 6 and be secured to the winding-drum. Thus far constructed, if the winding-drum be rotated in one clirection, the chain will pull on both doors and close the same.

It being desirous to prevent leaking between the adjacent edges of the closed doors, one of said doors is provided with a plate 13, which covers the space between said doors when closed, and to prevent interference of the doors in closing, it is necessary to provide means whereby one door, preferably the door having the cover plate, will close slightly before the other and allow the last closing door to close tight under the plate. To accomplish these objects, an arm 14 is projected from one side of the roller 10 and provided with a counterweight 15, which may be formed integral with said arm or separate and made adjustable thereon, thus, when the doors are closed and the arm and weight are positioned, as shown in dotted j lines in Fig. 3, the weight will fall when the doors are opened and rotate the pulley 10 of a wagon-body with the improved equalpulling the chain taut on one side and allow ing a slack upon the other side. It is obvious under these conditions, that when the winding-drum. is started to rotate, the door suspended by the taut chain will close slightly in advance of the other door, and after the first is closed, further movement of the winding-drum tends to rotate the pulley 10 and consequently pull upon the last closing door and close the same securely.

To limit the swing of the doors 5 and G and prevent them. from coming in contact with the wheels, the supporting bracket is formed to engage the arm 14 and limit its upward and downward movements and as the chain 12 is secured to the pulley 10, to which the arm is fixed, the doors 5 and 6 will be limited, in their outward swing, when said arm 14; engages said bracket. To secure this result, said bracket preferably comprises an upper vertical portion 16 which is adapted to lie against the end of the wagon-body, a horizontal portion 17, and a lower vertical portion 18 spaced from the wagon-body, extending below the pcriphery of pulley 10. adapted to support one end of the pivot pin 9, and overhang the pulley 10. Said bracket is secured to the wagon-body by the bolts 19 and 20, the latter engaging the lower portion 18 and pass ing under the pulley 10 forming a stop for the arm let in its downward movement to limit the outward swing of the door 6 as shown clearly in full lines in Fig. 3. Horizontal portion 17 forms the stop for the arm l t in its upward movement when dumping to limit the outward swing of the door 5 as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3. Thus by selecting the proper length of chain to allow the doors to swing fully open, a further outward swing of said doors is limited by the engagement of the arm 14 with the upper and lower stops of the bracket.

lVith this construction a single continuous chain can be used and being secured intermediate its ends to the pulley 10, at one point only. it is kept taut on one side by the counter-balancing arm and weight, thereby allowing of the closing of one door previous to the other.

It is understood, that the arm 14; does not engage the stop 17 during the closing or the doors, as room must he left for the equalizing movement required to close one door after the other.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A. dumping wagon comprising swinging doors, a chain for operating them, a tionary bracket and a counter-balancing means having a projecting weighted arm to pull said chain in one direction and adapted to engage said bracket at a plurality oi? points to limit the rotary movement of said counter-balaneing means.

2. A dumping wagon comprising swing ing doors, a chain for operating them, a sta* tionary bracket having upper and lower stops and a counter-balancing n'ieans having a weighted portion to pull said chain in one direction and adapted to engage said stops to limit the rotary movement of said counter-balancing means.

In testimony whoreol. I al'lix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY D. JOHNSUE, J11.

Witnesses Gnn'rnonn RUPERT, AnoLrrI Corners.

tjopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

